Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FORESTS
Psalm 46, Verse 3-4
3 Thus
we do not FEAR, though earth be
shaken and mountains quake to the depths of the sea, 4 though
its waters rage and foam and mountains totter at its surging.
The Roman soldiers guarding His tomb did not fear
God even though the earth did shake and having witnessed His resurrection for
they did not confess with their lips that Jesus is Lord; yet they did fear the
Jews and took their money which they died with. Today confess Him with your
lips knowing that Christ is the conqueror of the Nations for He is our refuge
and our strength, an ever-present help in distress.
Come and see the works of the LORD, who has done fearsome deeds on
earth; Who stops wars to the ends of the earth, breaks the bow, splinters the
spear, and burns the shields with fire; “Be still and know that I am God!
(Psalm 46:9-11)[1]
Tuesday Of the Fourth Week of Lent[2]
Prayer.
WE beseech Thee, O Lord, that the fasts of this holy observance may procure us
an increase of piety in our lives, and the continual help of Thy mercy.
EPISTLE.
Exodus xxxii. 7-14.
In those days the Lord spoke to Moses,
saying: Go, get thee down: thy people, which thou hast brought out of the land
of Egypt, hath sinned. They have quickly strayed from the way which thou didst
show them: and they have made to themselves a molten calf, and have adored it,
and sacrificing victims to it, have said: These are thy gods, O Israel, that
have brought thee out of the land of Egypt. And again, the Lord said to Moses:
I see that this people are stiff-necked: let Me alone, that My wrath may be
kindled against them, and that I may destroy them, and I will make of thee a
great nation. But Moses besought the Lord his God, saying: Why, O Lord, is Thy
indignation enkindled against Thy people, whom Thou hast brought out of the
land of Egypt, with great power, and with a mighty hand?
Let not the Egyptians say, I
beseech Thee: He craftily brought them out, that He might kill them in the
mountains, and destroy them from the earth: let Thy anger cease, and be
appeased upon the wickedness of Thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and
Israel, Thy servants, to whom Thou sworest by Thy own self, saying: I will
multiply your seed as the stars of heaven: and this whole land that I have
spoken of, I will give to your seed, and you shall possess it forever. And the
Lord was appeased from doing the evil which He had spoken against His people.
GOSPEL.
John vii. 14-31.
At
that time: About the midst of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple, and
taught. And the Jews wondered, saying: How doth this man know letters, having
never learned?
Jesus
answered them and said: My doctrine is not Mine, but His that sent Me. If any
man will do the will of Him: he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of
God, or whether I speak of Myself. He that speaketh of himself, seeketh his own
glory: but he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him, he is true, and
there is no injustice in him. Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of
you keepeth the law? Why seek you to kill Me? The multitude answered, and said:
Thou hast a devil; who seeketh to kill Thee?
Jesus
answered and said to them: One work I have done; and you all wonder: therefore,
Moses gave you circumcision (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers);
and on the Sabbath-day you circumcise a man. If a man receive circumcision on
the Sabbath-day, that the law of Moses may not be broken; are you angry at Me
because I have healed the whole man on the Sabbath-day?
Judge
not according to the appearance, but judge just judgment. Some therefore of
Jerusalem said: Is not this He Whom they seek to kill?
And
behold He speaketh openly, and they say nothing to Him. Have the rulers known
for a truth that this is the Christ?
But
we know this man whence He is but when the Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence
He is. Jesus therefore cried out in the temple, teaching and saying: You both
know Me, and you know whence I am, and I am not come of Myself; but He that
sent Me is true, Whom you know not. I know Him, because I am from Him, and He
hath sent Me. They sought therefore to apprehend Him: and no man laid hands on Him,
because His hour was not yet come. But of the people many believed in Him.
Lenten
Calendar[3]
Read:
The Seven Penitential Psalms, Day Seven:
(During times when we wish to express repentance and especially during
Lent, it is customary to pray the seven penitential psalms. The penitential
designation of these psalms dates from the seventh century. Prayerfully
reciting these psalms will help us to recognize our sinfulness, express our
sorrow and ask for God’s forgiveness.)
Today we will focus on Psalm 143.
Reflect:
Read a reflection of Psalm 143—A Prayer
in Distress.
Pray: “Hasten to answer me, LORD; for my spirit
fails me. Do not hide your face from me, lest I become like those descending to
the pit. In the morning let me hear of your mercy, for in you I
trust. Show me the path I should walk, for I entrust my life to you.” (Ps 143:7-8)
Act:
The psalmist pleads his case before the Lord: he is
surrounded by enemies, his spirit is faint, and he has nothing left to
withstand them. And so, he begs for mercy, that the Lord would show his face
and be his refuge in his time of great need.
The Church’s Calendar[4]
We often learn our doctrine much more deeply and effectively simply by
celebrating the feasts and fasts of the Church.
In fact in Orthodox Judaism the calendar is the catechism of Israel.
According to Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, “On
the pinions of time which bear us through life, God has inscribed the eternal
words of His soul-inspiring doctrine, making days and weeks, months and years
the heralds to proclaim His truths. Nothing would seem more fleeting than these
elements of time, but to them God has entrusted the care of His holy things,
thereby rendering them more imperishable and more accessible.”
CCC2698.
The Tradition of the Church proposes to the faithful certain rhythms of praying
intended to nourish continual prayer. Some are daily, such as morning and
evening prayer, grace before and after meals, the Liturgy of the Hours.
Sundays, centered on the Eucharist, are kept holy primarily by prayer. The
cycle of the liturgical year and its great feasts are also basic rhythms of the
Christian's life of prayer.
No one knows human nature better than the God who created it. The book of Genesis tells us that the Lord God made the world in six days and rested on the seventh. He rested not because he was weary-God does not tire-but because He wanted to provide a model for human labor and rest. The Church calendar coincides with the cosmic rhythms of God. The Church calendar reflects this fact: That Christ rose from the dead in payment for our sins and is the Jewish Messiah that was hoped for.
Stations of the Cross[5]
International
Day of Forests[6]
International Day of Forests seeks to celebrate forests while providing a platform to raise awareness of the importance of trees. The day also raises awareness of rapid deforestation and educates about the vital role that forests and trees play in sustaining and protecting humans by supplying us with freshwater and oxygen. In fact, forested watersheds and wetlands provide the world with nearly 75% of its accessible freshwater. International Day of Forests was declared in December 2012 by the United Nations General Assembly in an effort to promote the importance of forests to humans and aid in conservation efforts. International Day of Forests is observed annually on March 21st. Since then, International Forest Day has become one of the most influential global events advocating for forest conservation in the world.
International Day of Forests Facts
& Quotes
·
According
to the UN, forests cover one third of the Earth’s land mass.
·
Nearly
one-third of the world's largest cities get their drinking water
directly from protected forest areas. Forests act as natural filters for water
by removing particles from it such as metals and nitrogen.
·
According
to the UN, approximately 1.6 billion people worldwide depend on forests for
their livelihood.
International Day of Forests Top
Events and Things to Do
·
Join
the celebration of the International Day of Forests and World Water Day in the
Economic and Social Council Chamber of the UN. Every year they host a meet and
greet style event in the chamber that the public can join in on.
·
Watch
a movie that advocates for the protection of forests or showcases their rich
biological diversity. Some of our favorites are Planet Earth, FernGully:
The Last Rainforest, and Wild.
·
Spread
awareness on social media by using the hashtags #InternationalDayofForests,
#SavetheForests or #IntForestDay.
·
Share
your favorite photo of a forest or plant with the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the UN by emailing it to idf@fao.org. The UN will add it to a
combined gallery of everyone’s pictures around the world!
·
Read
a book that is advocating forest conservation. Some of our favorites are: The
Sibley Guide to Trees, The Wild Trees: A Story of Passion and Daring,
and Forest Ecology.
·
Resources:
o https://www.trilliontrees.org/
o https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._National_Forests
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
PART FOUR: CHRISTIAN PRAYER
SECTION ONE-PRAYER IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
CHAPTER ONE-THE REVELATION OF PRAYER - THE
UNIVERSAL CALL TO PRAYER
IN BRIEF
2590 "Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God
or the requesting of good things from God" (St. John Damascene, Defide
orth. 3, 24: PG 94, 1089C).
2591 God tirelessly calls each person to this mysterious
encounter with Himself. Prayer unfolds throughout the whole history of
salvation as a reciprocal call between God and man.
2592 The prayer of Abraham and Jacob is presented as a battle
of faith marked by trust in God's faithfulness and by certitude in the victory
promised to perseverance.
2593 The prayer of Moses responds to the living God's
initiative for the salvation of his people. It foreshadows the prayer of
intercession of the unique mediator, Christ Jesus.
2594 The prayer of the People of God flourished in the shadow
of the dwelling place of God's presence on earth, the ark of the covenant and
the Temple, under the guidance of their shepherds, especially King David, and
of the prophets.
2595 The prophets summoned the people to conversion of heart
and, while zealously seeking the face of God, like Elijah, they interceded for
the people.
2596 The Psalms constitute the masterwork of prayer in the Old
Testament. They present two inseparable qualities: the personal, and the
communal. They extend to all dimensions of history, recalling God's promises
already fulfilled and looking for the coming of the Messiah.
2597 Prayed and fulfilled in Christ, the Psalms are an
essential and permanent element of the prayer of the Church. They are suitable
for men of every condition and time.
Daily Devotions
· Unite
in the work of the Porters of St.
Joseph by joining them in fasting: Today's Fast: For
the intercession of the angels and saints
·
Make
reparations to the Holy Face-Tuesday
Devotion
·
Tuesday: Litany
of St. Michael the Archangel
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
· Make reparations to the Holy Face
·
30
Days with St. Joseph Day 2
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